transfer whine in Sierra SWB

[skippa83]

hey guys, just a quick question....how do i stop the whining noise that is coming from my transfer case? it is driving me up the bloody wall. what part of the transfer needs to be replaced? i nearly need ear plugs to drive the bloody thing!!!
any help will be appreciated
thanks

[BlueSuzy]

You sure its the transfer?

Could be the diff?

Could be the gearbox?

Could be your missus?

[weaves]

Hey Skippa,

More than likely it's going to be a bearing problem. meaning case out and full rebuild time.

To quiet the thing down in the meantime you can chuck some fresh oil in there and add some Nulon gearbox treatmeant. It will quiet down the noise but to what extent i don't know. Also when doing the oil change, try flushing it out a bit. In the past i've done this by putting a bottle of kero in a transfer case full of mud. spining it by hand to free up as much gunk as possible. Dumping it and then repeating with ATF fluid to clean up the kero.

But it all depends on what you say is a bad noise. If its so bad that you need ear plugs, to me that means something falling off as i drive and its pretty much undrivable. All other noises i put it down to being a abused suzuki and have to think "it'll hold out till next trip". If its really that bad i suggest pulling it off the road as you may cause unrepairable damage to the case.

******My ideas above are to be used at your own risk. I'm not a mechanic. Flushing and oil treatment are only masking a problem and may only buy you time before the thing implodes.******


weaves
weaves

[zookimal]

Does it have reduction gears in it?

[Spike_Sierra]

its most likely the counter shaft, it gets pitted and becomes noisy, however this still requires case out, so you might as well do a full rebuild.

[Gwagensteve]

its most likely the counter shaft, it gets pitted and becomes noisy.

X2.

Steve.

[christover1]

I ignored a noise from my t-case, as I don't hear too well, and they are never going to be quiet things anyway.
It seized up at 110kph and spun me 180 into the guard rail (with camper trailer) and also ripped of half the teeth on the rear diff.
So I would take all noises seriously.
Mine was a tiny bearing that only gets splashed with oil.
The low range gear seized onto shaft, which locked up the high range too.

And recently I put in some nulon diff treatment in t-case and rear diff, and its pretty darned good.

christover

[jonno_racing]

its probably out of headlight fluid.. top it up.. its on the inside of the rear door..

or search this has been covered 1000000X b4

[weaves]

It seized up at 110kph and spun me 180 into the guard rail (with camper trailer)

Your zook does 110, And tows a camper trailer

[christover1]

It seized up at 110kph and spun me 180 into the guard rail (with camper trailer)

Your zook does 110, And tows a camper trailer

diff gearing, extractors, weight reduction all helps, but it was a flat road with no wind

[david123]

its probably out of headlight fluid.. top it up.. its on the inside of the rear door..

or search this has been covered 1000000X b4

Excellent response, from one who knows how to use the search feature.

For those of us who have tried, many times, and cannot get the answers we need out of the search feature, instead of being a dikhed, and wasting yours and everyone else's time, don't answer, or direct help in the right direction.

[Jock]

its probably out of headlight fluid.. top it up.. its on the inside of the rear door..

or search this has been covered 1000000X b4

Excellent response, from one who knows how to use the search feature.

For those of us who have tried, many times, and cannot get the answers we need out of the search feature, instead of being a dikhed, and wasting yours and everyone else's time, don't answer, or direct help in the right direction.

X 100000000X

Search doesn't work cost most posts are full of crap like this about searching

I found that in my transfer cases that the noise comes form the gears having pitt markes in them or the gears are worn. The car is 20 -25 years old so things do wear out.

Try isolating the noise too. First put car on FOUR stands. make sure front hubs are engaged.
start car listen for noise.
Put car in 5th gear listen for noise
put transfer in nuetral and gear box in 5th gear listen for noise
Put transfer in low range put gear box in 5th gear listen for noise
Put transfer in low range put gear box in 5th gear disconnect front hubs listen for noise
ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC

Isolate noise down to the noisest selstion. Just try every different possibility

This is the car being under no load so the noise may be a little quieter than normal driving but will also allow you to isolate problems quicker. Good for finding wheel bearing noise too.